Ralph Miller

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Even from his adolescent years, Ralph Miller has passionately pursued his quest for spiritual understanding. He was compelled to learn and understand everything first hand and by experience. By the age of 18, he had traveled to over 15 countries around the world. His personal interactions with a wide variety of diverse cultures, religions and people at such a young age made a life-altering impression on Ralph. A powerful sense of compassion for the brotherhood of man awakened in him.

A successful business owner during the 70's and 80's, Ralph continued to ardently investigate world religions as well as alternative philosophies. He discovered that humans express true spirituality from the heart, and that the heart is the doorway to the divine.

Ralph is a loving father of five amazing daughters.

Ralph's passion for spiritual understanding is equaled only by his fascination for sacred sites. This thirst compelled Ralph to visit many of these metaphysical 'hot-spots' throughout the world. His travels have included several Mayan sites in Mexico, the Egyptian pyramids, the Druidic standing stones in the Hebrides and ancient burial mounds in Scandinavia.

Inspired by his dedication to lift up those who seek to expand their Heart energy, Ralph and his associates introduced a life-changing experience now known as Heart of the Initiate. This Journey will lead you through an experience that will help you find your way to the transdimensional doorway of the heart.

Read Ralph's blog entries.

Warinei Wanare

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Warinei started his teachings with the Ayahuasca in 1996 with an invitation from a friend that would lead him to shaman Luis Florez of the Inga community of Colombia. Visiting him at his Maloca (House-Cosmos) in the amazonian region of the Putumayo, he received his teachings for six years while cooking together the Ayahuasca.

In 2003 he met shaman Jose Antonio Kasulú, a medicine man of the Yopo tradition, another sacred healing plant. It was during his visits to the Sikuani comunity, in the eastern Orinoquia region of Colombia, that he would learn the ways of this healing ceremony. During a Yopo ceremony, Kasulú gave him the sacred name of Warinei Wanare, meaning star from which come forth the warm and cold crystals with which it is posible to make healings.

Warinei spent 5 years working with the medicine plants of the Maloca Nabi Nunhue, meaning House of the Jaguar, where he was consacrated by Kajuyali Tsamani as a shaman Ayahuasquero.

He has started a new apprenticeship of the Native American Lakota tradition and has received teachings of the Inipi (sweat lodge) from Ta Cante Wakan, a descendant of the Crazy Horse lineage.

Sara Nusta

Sara Nusta started her shamanic path in 2002, when she met a shamanic grandmother named Aymara. Aymara trained Sara in the Temaskal Mexican sweat lodge tradition.

After spending a period of time in Argentina, Sara decided to go deep in the experiential study of the traditional plant medicines. Aymara helped her to move into the Amazonian region of Ecuador, to learn ancestral medicines from an indigenous Shuar community. Sara Nusta spent seven very intense months living among the Shuars inside the Amazon rain forest and learning their traditions. She learned things about their culture, their medicine and their way of life.

There she worked with the Shuar children. Sara conducted cultural classes, teaching the Shaur children art. During that time, Sara was learning from the Shaur shaman-grandfather, Wisum the uses of the “Natem” (Ayahuasca) and “Maikua” (Borrachero) as the master teacher and healing plants of the Shuar.

After this, Sara returned to Colombia and settled in Nariño frontier region that boarders Ecuador. Nariño was close to the rain forest and the traditional villages. During the beginning of 2005, she was introduced to the ceremony of the Inipi (sweat lodge) and other traditions from the North American Lakota. At the same time she was introduced to some Ayahuasca shamans who lived in the area, among them Warinei Wanare and Kajuyali Tsamani. Sara began to work with Warinei and Kajuyali and the sacred plant of the Ayahuasca.

Currently, Sara Nusta is working with Warinei Wanare in his Ayahuasca ceremonies in Colombia as well as the Heart of the Initiate workshops conducted in Brazil and Colombia.

Sara has become an important contributor to the workshops in Brazil. She not only brings her beautiful gifts of shamanic music to the Ayahuasca ceremonies, but she also provides translation for Warinei when he gives lectures or personal counseling sessions with workshop participants.

Peter Richardson

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At the age of 19, Peter caught the wave of an exploding industry and started his own computer consulting company in 1996. He very quickly found himself pursuing the American dream in corporate America. He was a computer systems engineer among the top ranking executives of several multi-national corporations. He achieved what most would consider a remarkable career and lavish lifestyle but ultimately found it all to be completely unfulfilling.

Leaving the world of the suit and tie behind, Peter set out to discover a more simple experience of himself and life. Originally intending a short trip to visit some friends, Peter found himself on a journey that led him around the world and back to his true self again.

As a child he loved nature and continues to reconnect to the divine through his appreciation of the simplicity and beauty of Mother Earth. Peter has been working with Ralph on the Heart of the Initiate journey since 1999. He expresses tremendous compassion and an unfailing desire to help others.

Read Peter's blog entries.

Fiona Pedlar

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Born in England, Fiona grew up in Australia where she developed a love of nature and a yearning to travel.

As an adult she returned to England to reconnect with her homeland and from there traveled extensively including spending a lengthy period of time living a communal life on a Kibbutz.

Returning to Australia she became a librarian and started reading a variety of esoteric writings. At the same time Fiona developed a strong interest in alternative healing methods, particularly the healing qualities of plants, and trained as a herbalist.

In 2003 she was drawn to Brazil and shamanic plant medicines and her experiences there hastened her own journey of self discovery.

Fiona has the rare quality of being a good listener and has an amazing level of compassion for others. Her quiet, calm presence makes even the most shy sisters and brothers feel safe in her company.

Today, her supportive role brings a true feminine aspect to these sacred workshops.